Channel Five satellite changes – Dec 2015 Update
There have today been changed for Channel Five on satellite.
As we reported a few weeks ago – https://www.satandpcguy.com/blog/2015/11/channel-five-satellite-changes-in-the-next-few-weeks/
Channel Five used to operate a number of different regional variations of Channel Five for different advertising in different regions of the UK. These advertising differences were stopped during mid 2015. And today there is now only one version, not the 5 regional versions, of Channel Five operating.
Sky and Freesat receivers should not have to do any sort of retuning, as this should be done automatically by their receivers. However, it may be best to check that planned recordings on Channel Five have been changed.
But if you are using another type of satellite receiver, like a GI Mini, or Ariva, or Iberosat, the Channel Five regions you were used to watching may now no longer be available. Hopefully in your Channel list you should have the lone working version of Channel Five.
Channel Five Frequency:
Astra 2F 10964 H, Symbol Rate 22000 FEC 5/6
The closure of the redundant regional variations of Channel Five has meant that there is now more space available for other channels on this Channel Five owned satellite transponder.
And as we reported a few weeks ago, ( https://www.satandpcguy.com/blog/2015/12/is-channel-5-hd-coming-to-freesat-soon/ , it appears as it Channel Five HD may be moving to this frequency. An encrypted test has appeared on Astra 2F 10964 H, Symbol Rate 22000 FEC 5/6, labelled as “7750”. This may simply be down to having all of Channel Fives channels on its own transponder, as Channel Five HD is currently on a Sky owned transponder. So the moved would mean Channel Five not having to rent capacity from a Sky transponder.
And as the Channel Five transponder is on the UK Beam, this may allow Channel Five HD to become free to air, and move away from Sky’s Pay TV wall.
This would mean that expats in the south of Europe, like the Costa del Sol, Gibraltar, Portugal an the Algarve, may no longer be able to watch Channel Five. Currently these areas can receive Channel Five HD as the Sky transponder it is currently transmitted on is on the European beam, nice and easily to receive across most of Western Europe.
Hi my name is George .All of a sudden started to recieve bbc, itv etc in the north of Spain near bilbao. Any reason why this has happend, until now was not able to receive these channels since the change to uk beam. Any info would be appreciated.
You have always been able to receive the channels on the UK beam in your area – if you have the right sized dish to pick up those signals.
Most people “lost” the channels as they simply do not have the right sized dish for their area.
If you are able to “suddenly” receive them again, then yes, it happens.
Why? No idea, maybe the colder air helps carry the signals further?
If it was a regular thing, then you would have been able to receive them at this time last year also.
But it does mean that your dish is probably just a tad too small to receive them on a normal basis, so perhaps upgrading to the next size will help receive them longer??